OPTIMIZATION OF COLD MECHANICAL OIL EXTRACTION FROM JATROPHA CURCAS L. SEEDS WITH RESPECT TO OIL RECOVERY AND OIL RESIDUES IN PRESS CAKE

摘要

The objective of this study was to optimize the mechanical oil extraction of J. curcas seeds by increasing the efficiency of oil recovery and decreasing oil residues in press cake with a mechanical screw press. The experiments were carried out with mechanical screw press type - Komet D85-1G. The screw press was modified and different sensors were installed for measuring parameters such as oil recovery, temperatures and rotational speed of the screw. Four setups were created by parameter combination of two different screws (R8 and R11), with two different press cylinders (P1 and P1.5), three different nozzles (N8, N10 and N12) and three levels of rotational speed (low, medium and high). Oil recovery reduces when rotational speed increases for all setups; highest oil recovery was 89.4 %. Oil residues in press cake show the inverse behaviour of oil recovery meaning when oil recovery decreases oil residue in press cake increases. Oil recovery was increasing when energy consumption increases and decreasing when seed material throughput increases. Oil extraction with screw press Komet D85-1G was more efficient by using screw press R8 in combination with press cylinder P1.5 (setup 2) than other combinations (setup 1, 3 and 4). The relations between energy consumption and seed material throughput follow a strict pattern, which correlate with oil recovery. This correlation could be used for determining the optimal operation.